A tweet from myself (@ChrisFlaertweet), on May 2nd 2013:
"#Hangover3....All I can say is Ed Helms, I hope it was worth leaving for half of the final season of #TheOffice #Hereshoping"
The Hangover: Part 3
Directed By Todd Phillips
Starring Bradley Cooper as Phil, Ed Helms as Stu, Zach Galifanakis as Alan
....Imagine you just heard Disney announced they were making a film starring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Then you saw the trailers for that film, and then you saw the actual film, and what you saw wasn't quite what you expected. Instead of seeing a film where those three beloved cartoon characters are singing, dancing and having up-beat adventures...you saw a film where they were hired to take a hit out on Scrooge McDuck and steal all his money.
That's kind of like what The Hangover Part 3 is. It takes characters from films of one genre, and then puts them in a film of another genre. In this case, comical characters are put into an action/heist film.
Alan (Galifanakis) has been off his meds for awhile. After his father (Jeffery Tambor) dies of a heart attack, his family and The Wolfpack stage an intervention for him. While driving Alan to a rehab center in Arizona, the group is ambushed by a group of thugs led by Marshall (John Goodman). Marshall has some unfinished business with the recently escaped from prison, Mr. Chow (Jeong), and wants him DOA. Seeing is how Alan is the only one Chow's had recent contact with, Marshall demands The Wolfpack track him down, and takes Doug (Justin Bartha) as insurance. Alan, Stu (Helms), and Phil (Cooper) are soon tracking Chow down all over the west coast, on an adventure that takes them from Tijuana and back to Las Vegas.
First off, this film is not as funny as the original. It's not even as funny as the second installment. It completely throws out the formula of the first two. The humor is actually much darker this time around (A giraffe is decapitated within the first five minutes). If that's your type of humor you'll enjoy it like I did, but the laughs aren't as frequent in this Hangover film. As you may have guessed already, this is more like an action movie than a comedy movie.
BUT...it works. It does have its laughs, and its a good watch. You do retain a general interest in the story (Props to Todd Phillips for all the little ties back to the original movie), you do care about these characters, and you want to see them make it out of this. Especially considering this time around, their predicament really isn't the result of their idiocy, but Chow's.
I don't have much to say about the returning cast members. They all do a fine job. Galifanakis is losing his appeal though, in my opinion. Ken Jeong I find annoying 90% of the time. John Goodman as Marshall is a fine addition. Melissa McCarthy has a funny little cameo as a pawnbroker in Vegas. Not to spoil anything, but some characters from the first film make return appearances, and it's fun to see them all again.
The Hangover: Part 3 is not what you would expect from the conclusion of a comedy trilogy. But you can still walk out of the theater a satisfied viewer. With the exception of the first film, this trilogy won't have that much of a lasting impact. But Part 3 will stay with you for at least a little while, either tickling your funny bone, or just making you go "...Huh."
*Probably some of the funniest laughs will come from the post-credits scene.
**If you were by any chance a little curious as to what it would be like if Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were hit men...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTSWo2y0NIY
Monday, June 10, 2013
Wish-List For "Community" Season 5
Now that Dan Harmon's back to work on "Community", fans can expect Season 5 to be a return to form, and more like the show it used to be. While I believe Season 4 wasn't that bad, there were some things it didn't handle well. While some plot lines carried over from past seasons were executed (and in some cases concluded) poorly, other elements of the show were otherwise thrown out the window.
How will Dan Harmon address these issues? What will his response to Season 4 be? Whatever he does I'm along for the ride, but I, as I'm sure most fans do, have a little wish-list for Season 5.
1. Bring Back John Oliver/James Brolin/Malcolm McDowell
We haven't seen Ian Duncan since Season 2! I know John Oliver's been pretty busy with The Daily Show, and he'll be even more busy with it when Jon Stewart leaves to direct his first feature film, but before that happens can we get him back for one episode? His character is rooted in the beginnings of the show.
I for one felt the episode where James Brolin as Jeff's Dad, was underwhelming, considering it was built up to be the conclusion of one the show's most important story lines. Considering Harmon began this storyline, I truly hope he can bring Brolin back to bring Jeff's story with his father to a proper conclusion, one that both he and the fans can be happy with.
Malcolm McDowell was so underused in Season 4 the powers that be should be arrested for it, and I hope he can come back to intimidate the study group further. I mean...he's Malcolm McDowell.
2. Write The BEST CHRISTMAS EPISODE EVER
"Intro To Knots" paled in comparison to Christmas episodes from the past seasons. Past "Community" Christmas episodes were real treats, and offered something fun, exciting, and satirical. "Knots" didn't bring much to the table, other than giving Malcolm McDowell some deserved screen time. It didn't even feel like a Christmas episode. It was more like something pulled out of the cliche' sitcom handbook. In short, while I enjoyed the episode, it wasn't a "Community" Christmas episode. That said, I hope Harmon can make up for it.
3. Kill Chang Off
I'm sorry, but we have to get rid of this guy. Sure The Hangover trilogy is over, so maybe Ken Jeong's schedule will open up a bit, but does it really matter? Chang is no longer the interesting character he once was. When he was in power in Seasons 1 and 3, he was a compelling character. Now, he's been reduced to faking amnesia-sorry, Changnesia...what? With the conclusion of "Heroic Origins" his arc to join the study group that started in Season 2, has ended, so I really don't see anywhere else we can go with Chang. If anyone can give this character purpose again it's Dan Harmon, but honestly I'd rather just see Chang written off the show.
4. Explore The Relationships of Jeff/Annie, Tory/Britta, Jeff/Britta...
Five seasons in I think it's time to give these romantic couplings a little more spotlight. Harmon always did a great job of not over-saturating the romance into the show, and I think he can continue to do that. But we have these relationships that should be explored a little further, now that we've spent four years watching them grow.
Maybe Troy/Britta should be left alone. I'm sure not everyone was a fan of it. I loved "Basic Human Anatomy", but one flaw in it was that I really didn't care that Troy and Britta broke up. We spent like one episode in Season 4 developing their relationship, and their relationship wasn't even at the center of the episode, Troy and Abed's was! Again, another storyline Harmon set up, that I hope he can bring to a proper conclusion that'll satisfy both himself and the fans. There's always some drama between exes right?
That, and now that Britta's single again, the Jeff/Annie VS Jeff/Britta debate needs to be addressed. While Season 1 focused on Jeff/Britta, Seasons 2-3 developed Jeff/Annie and moved away from Jeff/Britta. Season 4, from what I could tell, returned to focus on Jeff/Britta. With this possibly being the last season of the show, something's got to give in terms of our protagonist's love life.
5. Make Fred Wilard A Series Regular To Replace Chevy Chase
Wilard's guest spot as Pierce in Abed's Sitcom Illusion in "History 101" was classic. He played Pierce perfectly with the cocky, absent-mindedness from Season 1, and he fit well with the rest of the cast. Dare I say, he could play a better Pierce than Chevy Chase. You don't have to make him Pierce. You could make him a new character, and throw in some meta-references for Abed to spit out. Either way, Fred Wilard has got to come back to the show.
I can only hope someone related to the production of "Community" sees this. A fan can dream right? Regardless, I look forward to the return of "Community"....midseason. Come on, NBC...
Side-Note: I'd really love to see an episode done in the style of Indiana Jones, or an episode without any dialogue, or an episode that pays tribute to the animated musical, or....sorry, I'm done.
How will Dan Harmon address these issues? What will his response to Season 4 be? Whatever he does I'm along for the ride, but I, as I'm sure most fans do, have a little wish-list for Season 5.
1. Bring Back John Oliver/James Brolin/Malcolm McDowell
We haven't seen Ian Duncan since Season 2! I know John Oliver's been pretty busy with The Daily Show, and he'll be even more busy with it when Jon Stewart leaves to direct his first feature film, but before that happens can we get him back for one episode? His character is rooted in the beginnings of the show.
I for one felt the episode where James Brolin as Jeff's Dad, was underwhelming, considering it was built up to be the conclusion of one the show's most important story lines. Considering Harmon began this storyline, I truly hope he can bring Brolin back to bring Jeff's story with his father to a proper conclusion, one that both he and the fans can be happy with.
Malcolm McDowell was so underused in Season 4 the powers that be should be arrested for it, and I hope he can come back to intimidate the study group further. I mean...he's Malcolm McDowell.
2. Write The BEST CHRISTMAS EPISODE EVER
"Intro To Knots" paled in comparison to Christmas episodes from the past seasons. Past "Community" Christmas episodes were real treats, and offered something fun, exciting, and satirical. "Knots" didn't bring much to the table, other than giving Malcolm McDowell some deserved screen time. It didn't even feel like a Christmas episode. It was more like something pulled out of the cliche' sitcom handbook. In short, while I enjoyed the episode, it wasn't a "Community" Christmas episode. That said, I hope Harmon can make up for it.
3. Kill Chang Off
I'm sorry, but we have to get rid of this guy. Sure The Hangover trilogy is over, so maybe Ken Jeong's schedule will open up a bit, but does it really matter? Chang is no longer the interesting character he once was. When he was in power in Seasons 1 and 3, he was a compelling character. Now, he's been reduced to faking amnesia-sorry, Changnesia...what? With the conclusion of "Heroic Origins" his arc to join the study group that started in Season 2, has ended, so I really don't see anywhere else we can go with Chang. If anyone can give this character purpose again it's Dan Harmon, but honestly I'd rather just see Chang written off the show.
4. Explore The Relationships of Jeff/Annie, Tory/Britta, Jeff/Britta...
Five seasons in I think it's time to give these romantic couplings a little more spotlight. Harmon always did a great job of not over-saturating the romance into the show, and I think he can continue to do that. But we have these relationships that should be explored a little further, now that we've spent four years watching them grow.
Maybe Troy/Britta should be left alone. I'm sure not everyone was a fan of it. I loved "Basic Human Anatomy", but one flaw in it was that I really didn't care that Troy and Britta broke up. We spent like one episode in Season 4 developing their relationship, and their relationship wasn't even at the center of the episode, Troy and Abed's was! Again, another storyline Harmon set up, that I hope he can bring to a proper conclusion that'll satisfy both himself and the fans. There's always some drama between exes right?
That, and now that Britta's single again, the Jeff/Annie VS Jeff/Britta debate needs to be addressed. While Season 1 focused on Jeff/Britta, Seasons 2-3 developed Jeff/Annie and moved away from Jeff/Britta. Season 4, from what I could tell, returned to focus on Jeff/Britta. With this possibly being the last season of the show, something's got to give in terms of our protagonist's love life.
5. Make Fred Wilard A Series Regular To Replace Chevy Chase
Wilard's guest spot as Pierce in Abed's Sitcom Illusion in "History 101" was classic. He played Pierce perfectly with the cocky, absent-mindedness from Season 1, and he fit well with the rest of the cast. Dare I say, he could play a better Pierce than Chevy Chase. You don't have to make him Pierce. You could make him a new character, and throw in some meta-references for Abed to spit out. Either way, Fred Wilard has got to come back to the show.
I can only hope someone related to the production of "Community" sees this. A fan can dream right? Regardless, I look forward to the return of "Community"....midseason. Come on, NBC...
Side-Note: I'd really love to see an episode done in the style of Indiana Jones, or an episode without any dialogue, or an episode that pays tribute to the animated musical, or....sorry, I'm done.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Top 5 Episodes of "Community" Season 4
Dan Harmon, the creator of "Community", has announced he will return to his post as show runner for the upcoming fifth season. Harmon left his position after creative differences between the executives at Sony and himself. Many fans are overjoyed at the news of his return, and see this as an opportunity for the show to once again be the critical cult hit it once was. Many fans considered the fourth, "Harmon-less" season a letdown, and the worst season so far.
I believe that while the fourth season was not up to par with the past three, it still had some quality episodes. When Season 4 was bad, it was bad (Changnesia, anyone?). When Season 4 was good, it was good.
With that being said, here are my Top Five Episodes from "Community"'s Fourth Season.
#5: Episode 4.7 "Economics of Marine Biology"
The side story of Abed's fictional fraternity ("Delta Cubes!") was classic "Community". Jim Rash was given some great lines as The Dean in this episode, and the return of Board Members Clark and Richie was a funny moment. The Jeff and Pierce storyline was classic and true to the characters, furthering their development and relationship. While I felt the season finale (and the episodes that follow this one), didn't properly conclude Pierce's story*, this episode acted as a nice little consolation for everyone's favorite Greendale grump.
*Chevy Chase, and presumably the character of Pierce, will not be returning for the fifth season.
#4 Episode 4.1 "History 101"
While not the greatest episode of the series, "History 101" was a solid start to the season. The Hunger Games parody was underdeveloped, and nothing more than a setting for the episode, but it provided some great laughs. Abed's "laugh-track sitcom" illusion of the study group was spot-on. It was meta, and classic "Community" humor. The Muppet Babies illusion, within the illusion, was just icing on the cake. Reading this all on paper make this episode sound like a mess, but in truth this is real fun episode to watch.
#3 Episode 4.8 "Herstory of Dance"
You could place this episode in the middle of a Season 1 DVD, and if you didn't tell me it was from Season 4, I probably wouldn't have noticed. The humor felt very traditional and true to the roots of the show. It displayed the characters and their relationships as the fans have known them the past three years, while moving their stories forward. It's an episode I think Dan Harmon himself would be proud of.
#2 Episode 4.11 "Basic Human Anatomy"
A brilliant episode written by Oscar Winner Jim Rash (Dean Pelton himself). It features some truly wonderful performances from Rash, Donald Glover (Troy), and Danny Pudi (Abed). Not only in this episodes does "Community" mock the body-switching film genre, it puts its unique twist on it, that serves the episode and the characters well
1. Episode 4.9 "Intro To Felt Surrogacy"
I'm a sucker for "Community"'s theme/concept episodes, and this is really one of the best. Maybe it's my fascination with The Muppets, but you can tell that the cast and crew treated this episode with care. From the attention to the detail in how the puppets move and interact, to the musical numbers. Like "Basic Human Anatomy", or "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas", the concept/theme isn't there for the hell of it. It services the plot of the characters, in a fun and unique way. It may not have furthered the overall arc of the show, but it was an emotional and satisfying episode, that showed how the group has grown in four years. "Intro To Felt Surrogacy" will possibly become known as the highlight of Season 4.
So with that we close the books on an uneven, but still enjoyable season of "Community". Now, onto Season 5...
Runners-Up:
Episode 4.9 "Intro To Knots" (The season's Christmas episode)
Episode 4.5 "Cooperative Escapism In Familial Relations (Jeff reunites with his father for Thanksgiving)
I believe that while the fourth season was not up to par with the past three, it still had some quality episodes. When Season 4 was bad, it was bad (Changnesia, anyone?). When Season 4 was good, it was good.
With that being said, here are my Top Five Episodes from "Community"'s Fourth Season.
#5: Episode 4.7 "Economics of Marine Biology"
The side story of Abed's fictional fraternity ("Delta Cubes!") was classic "Community". Jim Rash was given some great lines as The Dean in this episode, and the return of Board Members Clark and Richie was a funny moment. The Jeff and Pierce storyline was classic and true to the characters, furthering their development and relationship. While I felt the season finale (and the episodes that follow this one), didn't properly conclude Pierce's story*, this episode acted as a nice little consolation for everyone's favorite Greendale grump.
*Chevy Chase, and presumably the character of Pierce, will not be returning for the fifth season.
#4 Episode 4.1 "History 101"
While not the greatest episode of the series, "History 101" was a solid start to the season. The Hunger Games parody was underdeveloped, and nothing more than a setting for the episode, but it provided some great laughs. Abed's "laugh-track sitcom" illusion of the study group was spot-on. It was meta, and classic "Community" humor. The Muppet Babies illusion, within the illusion, was just icing on the cake. Reading this all on paper make this episode sound like a mess, but in truth this is real fun episode to watch.
#3 Episode 4.8 "Herstory of Dance"
You could place this episode in the middle of a Season 1 DVD, and if you didn't tell me it was from Season 4, I probably wouldn't have noticed. The humor felt very traditional and true to the roots of the show. It displayed the characters and their relationships as the fans have known them the past three years, while moving their stories forward. It's an episode I think Dan Harmon himself would be proud of.
#2 Episode 4.11 "Basic Human Anatomy"
A brilliant episode written by Oscar Winner Jim Rash (Dean Pelton himself). It features some truly wonderful performances from Rash, Donald Glover (Troy), and Danny Pudi (Abed). Not only in this episodes does "Community" mock the body-switching film genre, it puts its unique twist on it, that serves the episode and the characters well
1. Episode 4.9 "Intro To Felt Surrogacy"
I'm a sucker for "Community"'s theme/concept episodes, and this is really one of the best. Maybe it's my fascination with The Muppets, but you can tell that the cast and crew treated this episode with care. From the attention to the detail in how the puppets move and interact, to the musical numbers. Like "Basic Human Anatomy", or "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas", the concept/theme isn't there for the hell of it. It services the plot of the characters, in a fun and unique way. It may not have furthered the overall arc of the show, but it was an emotional and satisfying episode, that showed how the group has grown in four years. "Intro To Felt Surrogacy" will possibly become known as the highlight of Season 4.
So with that we close the books on an uneven, but still enjoyable season of "Community". Now, onto Season 5...
Runners-Up:
Episode 4.9 "Intro To Knots" (The season's Christmas episode)
Episode 4.5 "Cooperative Escapism In Familial Relations (Jeff reunites with his father for Thanksgiving)
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